Mining machine



July 28, 1942. D, R, RiHARDS 2,291,286

MINING MACHINE ya ,m am?, f4 @229.

July 28, 1942.

D. R. RICHARDS MINING MACHINE Filed oct. 4, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28, 1942. D. R. RICHARDS 2,291,286

MINING MACHINE Filed OCI. 4, 1959 5 sheets-sheet 5 July 28, 1942. D. R. RICHARDS 2,291,286

MINING MACHINE 5 Sheets--Sheei'I 4 Filed Oct. 4. 1959 f/IIIIIIIII D. R. RICHARDS 2,291,286

. MINING MACHINE Filed OCT.. 4, 1939 l July 2.8, 1942.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES T OFFICE MINING MACHINE Application October 4, 1939, Serial No. 297,888

In Great Britain November 4, 1938 3 Claims.

This invention relates to mining machines, and more particularly to improvements in coal mining machines of the kind having adjustable kerf cutting' mechanism whereby the kerf cutter may be adjusted into different elevated positions to cut horizontal plane kerfs at different heights from the mine oor.

The improved adjustable kerf cutting mechanism is shown embodied in a coal mining machine of the pivoted keri cutter longwall type, and according to the invention the kerf cutter is supported on the upper side of the machine frame and is adapted to be adjusted vertically into locations at various positions above the machine frame. The kerf cutter can thus be set to various positions within the limits of adjustment so that a horizontal plane kerf can be cut in the mine wall at the desired height from the mine oor. The means for raising the kerf cutter and supporting it in adjusted position may assume various forms, and may comprise hydraulic motor means, preferably a plurality of cylinders and pistons and a pump which is adapted to pump liquid under pressure from a tank into the cylinders, the pump being driven by the motor which drives the kerf cutter. The pump is preferably controlled by main and bypass valves which are manually operable, the arrangement being such that with the main valve open and the by-pass valve closed the kerf cutter can be raised by driving the pump so that liquid is forced thereby into the cylinders; the main valve being closed when the desired height has been reached so that the kerf cutter will be maintained at that height by the liquid which thus acts as a liquid lock, and at that time the by-pass valve being open so that circulation, due to continued operation of the pump, will take place from the pump to the pressure line and thence past the by-pass valve to the tank. When it is desired to lower the kerf cutter, the main valve is positioned so that the liquid in the cylinders will iiow past the valve back to the tank. The cylinders and pistons have pivotal connections with the stationary and adjustable parts of the machine to compensate for any misalinement of the telescopic frame parts.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved coal mining machine having improved adjustable kerf cutting mechanism whereby the kerf cutter may be adjusted into diierent elevated positions to cut horizontal plane kerfs at diierent heights from the mine oor. Another object is to provide an improved adjustable kerf cutting mechanism for a coal mining machine of the flexibly fed, longwall type adapted to rest upon and slide over the mine :door during the cutting operation. A further object is to provide improved mechanism for adjusting the kerf cutter and for supporting and maintaining the kerf cutter in its adjusted position. Yet another object is to provide an improved hydraulically operated adjusting mechanism for a kerf cutter. A further object is to provide an improved cylinder and piston type kerf cutter adjusting means having a pivotal mounting structure for the cylinders and pistons thereof, to prevent binding of the telescopic frame parts and of the cylinders and pistons with each other. A still further object is to provide an improved kerf cutter adjusting mechanism which is extremely compact and relatively simple and rugged in design. Other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention is readily applicable to mining machines as described in Patent 2,262,049 by modifying the cutter frame section, the driving gearing for the cutter, and providing the additional features mentioned in the following description of one mode of carrying out the invention.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a coal mining machine embodying an illustrative form of the improved adjustable kerf cutting mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the coal mining machine shown in Fig. 1, showing the kerf cutter in its lowered position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in longitudinal ver tical section taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic view, partially in horizontal section, illustrating the hydraulic fluid system.

Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal sectional View through the main and by-pass valves.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention the improved adjustable kerf cutting mechanism is shown incorporated in a coal cutting machine of the flexibly fed long-wall type, although it will be evident that various features of the invention may be incorporated in coal mining machines of various other types.

In carrying out the invention according to one mode, the coal mining machine comprises a machine frame I mounted on a bottom skid 2 adapted to rest upon and slide over a mine oor. The machine frame has three casing sections suitably rigidly secured together, namely a central motor frame section 3, la feed frame section 4 .and a cutter frame section 5, the latter supporting the improved kerf cutting mechanism, generallyT designated 6, in a manner torbe hereinafter more fully described. The kerf cutting mechanism includes a kerf cutter 'I comprising an elongated horizontal plane cutter bar 8 having guided for circulation about its margin an endless cutter chain 9. Mounted `for rotation on a vertical axis within the lower part of the feed framesection 4, is a feed operating member I in the form of a haulage drum, having wound thereon a'haulage cable II for moving the machine over the mine oor and for swinging the kerf cutter about its pivot. A d

The motor frame section has housed therein a reversible motor provided with a power shaft I2 horizontally disposed and extending longitudinally of the machine frame, and keyed'to the rear vend of the motor power shaft is a bevelpinion I3 meshing with a bevel gear I4 secured to a vertical shaft I5 suitably journaled within the lower part of the cutter frame section 5. This l vertical shaft also has secured thereto a spur pinion I6 which meshes with a large spur Ygear II'having its hub I8 suitably journaled on bearings supported by a suitable drive shaft I9, the latter in turn being journaled at its lower end in a bearing supported within the 'lower part of the cutter frame section. The hub of thelarge spur gear I'I has exterior clutch teeth 20 connectible by a sliding clutch sleeve 2l to clutch teeth 22 formed on the exterior of the lower end of aY sleeve 23 secured to the vertical drive shaft I 9, soAthat when the slidable clutch sleeve is in connected position the cutter chain 9 may be driven by the motor, and when the clutch is released the cutter chain can remain idle during Vrunning ofthe motor, as will hereinafter appear.

The clutch sleeve is provided with suitable/operating means, including a shipper yoke '24, vsecured to an operating shaft 25, the latter having a square socket 26 fadapted for the reception of a suitable turning instrument.

The Yvertical drive shaft I9 extends upwardly through an opening in the upper side of the cutter frame section and has its upper part splined at Y2,'1V to a sleeve portion 28 at the'lower endrof anaxially adjustable vertical shaft 29 rotatably mounted in bearings suitably supported in the frame of a turret 30. It will be noted that the cooperating shaft elements I9 and 29 provide an extensiblartelescopic torque shaft. The upper end of the axially adjustable shaft 29 has keyed thereto a chain sprocket 3| which engages and drives the endless cutter chain 9. The cutter bar 8 of the kerf cutter is carried by a hanger A,frame 32 Vsupported on the upper face of the turret 30, being pivotally mounted, for adjustment in a horizontal plane, upon bearings 33 extending upwardly from the upper face of the turret. The turret 30 vhas a depending cylindric portion telescopically arranged and mounted for vertical sliding movement within a cylindric turret frame 34 extending upwardly from and secured to the top of the cutter frame section which contains the driving gearing above referred to.

The cutter bar and the turret 30 are provided with cooperating means whereby the cutter bar can be selectively locked against pivotal movement in any one of three positions, namely a v.position extending laterally fat either side of the turret, substantially at right angles to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the machine frame, or in a position in which the cutter bar is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine. To lock the cutter bar in any one of the three positions above referred to there is provided means as shown and described in the above mentioned Patent 2,262,049, but with the bolt l35 and its pertinent parts mounted on the upper part of the turret and with the cutter bar hanger frame 32 provided with three apertures 36, any one of which can be engageable by the bolt 35.'

Meansis provided `for preventing the turret 30 from rotating relative' to the turret frame 34, comprising keys 31 which are secured by bolts 38 to the turret frame 34 and'engaged in vertical slots 39 in the turret 39. A cylindrical guard 40 mayalso be provided which is carried 4by the turret and slides on the exterior of the turret frame.A

VThe haulage cable II maybe extended from the haulage drum I9 in various directions, in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art, around appropriately located guide sheaves 4I, 42, ,43 and Y34 suitably journaled withinthe feed frame section. Inthis improved construction, Vguide sheaves .45 are journaled on '.alinedhorizontal axes extending transversely of the cutter frame section, and similar guide sheaves 46 are journaled on parallel axes at the opposite sides of the turret, and the haulage cable'may be extended from the haulage drum along one side of theV machine frame and around certain of the guide sheaves 45 Vand 46 with its free end in attachment at 41 with the hanger frame 32, so 'thatV whenY the cable is wound in by the haulage drumV the Vcutter bar maybe slued about its pivot. Due to the arrangement of the guide Vsheave'son thecutter frame section and the turret, Vthe haulage cable may be extended around these sheaves to Veffect swinging of the cutter bar irrespective of the elevated position of the cutter bar. Arranged at the rear end of the machine frame is a guideV sheave 48 mounted on a detachableY swing arm 49, whereby the haulage cablecan be extended, if desired, in a direction rearwardly of the machine. As the manner of feeding the mining machine, by means of the haulage cable,Y is fully described in the patent mentioned above, and as the mode of operation 'of the coal mining machine isV well known to those skilledY in the art, further description thereof is herein unnecessary.

Now referring'rto the improved adjusting mechanism for the kerf cutter, it will be noted that within the turret are provided two double-acting hydraulic cylinders 5B, 50 arranged with their axes substantially vertical, the lower end of each cylinder being Apivotally connected rat 5I, for movement about a horizontal axis, tothe top `of the cutter frame section. Each cylinder has therein a reciprocable piston 52 Vhaving its piston rod 53 extending upwardly through the vpacked upper head 54 of the cylinder, and the piston rods are preferably pivotally connected at 55 to the turret. The pivotal connections of the cylinders and piston rods within the cutter frame section and turret are preferably on parallel axes extending transversely of the machine. The pivotal connections of the cylinders and piston rods compensate for any misalinement of the telescopic frame parts of the turret in that they permit a certain amount of movement between the parts. Oil or other liquid for supply to the cylinders is contained in a tank 56 located upon the top of the motor frame section, and a pump 51 is located in the tank and has its suction side open to the liquid therein with its pressure side connectible to the cylinders. The pump is driven by a shaft 58, in a suitable manner, through gearing driven by the motor. A main valve 59 is connected on one side by a pipe connection 60 to the bottoms of both cylinders and on the opposite side by a pipe connection 8| to the other ends of the cylinders. Arranged at right angles to these connections with the valve are a discharge or exhaust port connected to the supply tank and a port connected by a pipe connection 62 to the pressure line 63 leading from the pump. Rotatably mounted in the casing 84 of the main valve is a four-Way valve 65 having diametrically opposite passages 66 and 61 for connecting one of the pipe connections 60, 6| with the pressure line 63 and the other,` of the pipe connections 6U, 6| with the valve exhaust port, so that either the upper or the lower ends of the cylinders may be connected with the pressure line and the other ends of the cylinders connected to the discharge port. The operating means for the valve 65 comprises a crank 68 iixed to the valve stem and connected by a link 69 to a crank 10, the latter in turn xed to an operating shaft 1| extending forwardly over the top of the feed frame section and having an operating lever 12 conveniently located at the forward end of the ma chine frame. The main valve 65 can also be set so as to close all of the pipes connecting the main valve casing to the cylinders so that the latter may be cut ofi' from the supply and discharge lines whereby the pistons may be made stationary, and thus the turret may be locked in adjusted position by the liquid. The pressure line 63 is connected to a by-pass valve mechanism 13 having a bore 14 in which there is arranged an end seating by-pass valve 15. The operating means for this valve comprises an operating rod 16 arranged in parallelism with the rod 1| and having an operating handle 11 located in adjacency to the main valve control handle 12. Any suitable means, such as screw and nut means, may, if desired, be provided to control the position of the rod 16, and so of the valve 15, but since closure of the ley-pass is normally desired only when raising of the turret is to be eiected, pump control is adequate. This by-pass valve controls the flow of liquid under pressure from the supply line 63 through a passage 18 and a vent passage 19 connected to the tank, so that when all the pipe connections leading to the cylinders are closed by the main valve, the pressure supply line 63 may be connected directly to the supply tank so that supply to the cylinders may be discontinued and the circulation, due to continued operation of the pump by its drive, will take place from the pump to the pressure line and thence from the by-pass valve to the tank.

Reversal of the driving motor for the purpose of cutting in opposite directions will cause reverse drive of the pump 51, and accordingly a pump capable of having each of its connections serve selectively either as intake or discharge is herein employed. Each of the pump connections (these are herein shown as opposite each other) has a line 8l connected thereto, and each of these lines desirably has a safety `valve 83 mounted thereon, and these lines enter the opposite sides of the casing of an auxiliary four-Way valve `mechanism 80, one of the other connections of this casing communicating through a strainer 82 with the tank, and the remaining valve casing connection communicating with the line 63. Thus it will be seen that either of the lines may serve as a suction line, when connected through the valve mechanism with the intake strainer 82, while the other may discharge fluid, also through the valve mechanism 80, at a pressure limited by the associated safety valve 83, to the line 63.

The pipe connection 60 is, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, connected within `a block 84 secured to the bottom of the turret frame 34, and this block has a passage 85 connected through flexible conduits 86 to the lower ends of the cylinders 50. 'Ihe pipe connection 6|, as shown in Fig. 8, is connected within a similar block 81, and this block has a passage 88 connected by flexible conduits 89, 90 and 9| to the upper ends of the cylinders. The conduits 90 and 9| are connected together through a passage 92 in the block 84, as shown in Fig. 6, and a portion of the conduit 86 lies beneath a part of block 81, as shown in Fig. 8.

The coal mining machine is adapted to cut in either of opposite directions, and when it is desired to eiect cutting in the direction reverse to that shown, the cutter bits are reversed on the cutter chain, the haulage cable is rewound on the haulage drum and the driving motor is reversed; and when the driving motor is operating in the reverse direction it is necessary, as above explained, to reverse the position of the four-way valve of the auxiliary valve mechanism 80, and for this purpose there is provided at the top of the tank 56 a pump reverse handle 93. When the motor is running and the clutch 20, 2 l, 22 is connected, the cutter chain 9 may be driven from the motor through the bevel gearing I3, |4, spur gearing I6, |1, the telescopic torque shaft I9, 29 and the chain sprocket 3|. When the coal mining machine, with its bits set as in Fig. 1, is in cutting position with respect to the coal face, in parallelism with the latter, and it is desired to make a sumping cut, the haulage cable I is extended from the haulage drum IIJ around the guide sheaves 44, 45 and 46 into connection at 41 with the cutter bar hanger frame 32 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and when the locking bolt 35 is released and the cable is wound in by the drum, the cutter bar may be slued about its pivot from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a right angle position wherein the kerf cutter projects laterally from the side of the machine frame, all in a well known manner. When the cutter bar is in this right angle position and projects within the coal, it is locked in such position by the'locking bolt 35, and the haulage cable is detached from the cutter b-ar hanger frame and extended from the haulage drum forwardly in advance of the machine to a suitable anchor jack located in adjacency to the coal face, and as the haulage cable is wound in by the drum, the machine is fed ter in an edgewise direction, thereby to make a .horizontal cut in the coal. When it is desired 4to elevate the kerf cutter at a Vdifferent height above the mine floor, the main valve B5 is positioned so that the pipe connection 60 is connected to the pressure line 63 while the pipe connection 6l is connected to the discharge port. The by-pass valve 'i6 is then moved into its closed position shown in Fig. 10, and at that time liquid under pressureV flows from the pump 51 through the pressure line 63 and pipe connection 62, past the main valve 65 and through pipe connections iid and 86 to the lower ends of the cylinders 50, so that the pressure in the cylinders acts on the lower pressure areas of the pistons 52 to eiect vertical adjustment of the turret. When the desired height is reached, the main valve 65 is closedV and the by-pass valve is moved into its open position so that the pressure line 63 is connected back to the tank through the passages 'i8 and '19. When it is desired to lower the turret, the pipe connection 60 is connected through the main valve 65 to the exhaust port while the pipe connection 6I is connected to the pressure line 63, and as a result the turret is lowered. When the'direction of cutting of the coal mining machine is reversed, the connections of the pump are, of source, reversed by the auxiliary Valve mechanism 80.

An alternative form of valve control may be employed for the supply of pressure iiuid to and exhaust from the cylinders, when single-acting cylinders are utilized. VIn this construction pipe connections are provided leading only to the lower ends of the cylinders 50, and the exhaust from the main valve 59 is omitted. A clutch,

such as a conventional friction clutch, is provided between the driving motor and the pump 51 so that the pump drive may be released by operation of the clutch. The by-pass valve in this construction functions solely as an exhaust control for the cylinders so that when the by-pass valve is opened the turret may be lowered, it being understood that the weight of the turret and kerf cutter, when the by-pass valve 'l5 is opened and the main valve 59 is opened, cause the pistons to descend and force the liquid back to the tank through the open by-pass valve. On the other hand, if the by-pass valve 15 is closed when the main valve 59 is opened and the pump drive clutched to the motor, the pump 51 may be driven so that liquid under pressure is forced into the lower ends of the cylinders, moving the pistons 52 upwardly therein and, through the medium of the piston rods, raising the turret and consequently the kerf cutter. When the cutter has been raised to the desired height for the cut to be made, the pump drive is released by operation of the clutch between the pump drive and motor'and the main valve is closed, whereby the liquid between the main valve and the pistons will then act as a liquid lock to maintain the cutter in adjusted position, the by-pass valve being maintained in closed position until such time as it is desired to lower the kerf cutter, which can be eiected by the reopening of the main valve, to effect reconnection of pipes 60 and 62, and the opening of the by-pass Valve as referred to above. Otherwise this alternative construction operates in a manner similar to that above described. Any suitable means can be utilized, if something other than purely manual positioning of the bypass valve is desired, to adjust and control the latter.

As a result of this invention it will be noted that an improved coal mining machine is provided, having improved adjusting means'for the keri cutting mechanism, whereby the .kerf cutter may be readily adjusted into cutting positions at diiTerent heights from the mine oor, the improved adjusting means embodying means for supporting and maintaining the kerf cutter in its adjusted position. It will further be evident that by the provision of the hydraulic motor means for adjusting the cutter supporting turret and by arranging the hydraulic motor means within the telescopically arranged elements of the turret, the adjusting structure is not only rendered extremely compact, but is also maintained completely enclosed irrespective ofthe adjusted position of the kerf cutter. It will further be noted that the hydraulic cylinder arrangement is not only simple and durable in design, but is also extremely effective in its Vaction. Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application s peciiically described one form and a modification which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform and modification thereof are disclosed for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be further modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byl Letters Patent is: Y

l. In a mining machine, the combination comprising a machine frame, a kerf cutter, means mounted on said frame for supporting said kerf cutter for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, means for adjusting said kerf cutter supporting means relative to said frame to move said kerf cutter through a series of parallel cutting planes. and means for guiding said Keri cutter supporting means during adjustment thereof comprising telescopically arranged guiding elements one of which is stationary with respect to said machine frame and the other of which is adjustable with said supporting means relative to said machine frame, said kerf cutter supporting means being mounted on said adjustable guiding element, and said adjusting means comprising hydraulically operated means for effecting the adjustment of said adjustable guiding element and said lsupporting means to position said kerf cutter in its dilerent parallel cutting planes, said hydraulically operated means comprising cylinder and piston mechanism arranged within and housed by said guiding elements and said cylinder and piston mechanism including cylinder and piston elements respectively pivotally connected to said guiding elements. Y

2. In a mining machine, the combination comprising a machine frame, a kerf cutter, means mounted on said frame for supporting said kerf cutter for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, means for adjusting said kerf cutter supporting means relative to said frame to move said kerf cutter through a series of parallel cutting planes, and means for guiding said kerf cutter supporting means during adjustment thereof comprising telescopically arranged guiding elements one of which is stationary with respect to said machine frame and the other of which is adjustable with said supporting means relative to said machine frame, said kerf cutter' supporting means being mounted on said adjustable guiding element, and said adjusting means comprising hydraulically operated means for effecting the adjustment of said adjustable guiding element and said supporting means to position said kerf cutter in its different parallel cutting planes, said hydraulically operated means comprising a double acting hydraulically operated cylinder and piston mechanism arranged within and housed by said guiding elements, and including pairs of cylinder and piston elements, the elements of which are respectively pivotally connected to said guiding elements on alined axes.

3. In a mining machine, the combination comprising a machine frame, a kerf cutter, driving means therefor, means mounted on said frame for supporting said kerf cutter for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, means separate and distinct from said cutter driving means for adjusting said kerf cutter supporting means relative to said frame to move said kerf cutter through a series of parallel cutting planes, and means for guiding said kerf cutter supporting means during adjustment thereof comprising telescopically arranged guiding elements one of which is stationary With respect to said machine frame and the other of which is adjustable with said supporting means relative to said machine frame, said kerf cutter supporting'means being mounted on said adjustable guiding element, and said adjusting means being operable Without interrupting the drive of the kerf cutter and comprising hydraulically operated means for eiecting the adjustment of said adjustable guiding element and said supporting means to position said kerf cutter in its diierent parallel cutting planes, said hydraulically operated means comprising a double acting hydraulically operated cylinder and piston mechanism arranged within and housed by said guiding elements and having pivotal connections one stationary as regards vertical ad justment With respect to the machine frame and the other mounted upon the adjustable guiding element and transmitting adjusting forces thereto.

DWIGHT R. RICHARDS. 

